How Did You Form Your Beliefs?

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
21

Experience and education.

Ordinarily, I would recommend Edmund Burke and Tom Paine, but if you really are just beginning, I’d suggest lighter reading and something more contemporary - just to whet the appetite.

Also, taking an online quiz about politics is a breezy, light way to get yourself thinking about political issues. And even better, you can realize what you feel strongly about and what you haven’t thought much about.

And think about historical influences - surely you like a dead President or two. Ask yourself why you like them, then learn from what they said and had to offer.

22

[quote]thunderbolt23 wrote:
Experience and education.

Ordinarily, I would recommend Edmund Burke and Tom Paine, but if you really are just beginning, I’d suggest lighter reading and something more contemporary - just to whet the appetite.

Also, taking an online quiz about politics is a breezy, light way to get yourself thinking about political issues. And even better, you can realize what you feel strongly about and what you haven’t thought much about.

And think about historical influences - surely you like a dead President or two. Ask yourself why you like them, then learn from what they said and had to offer.[/quote]

I agree alot with this- especially the Burke/Paine writings. Classic example of conservative v. liberal arguments, and extremely well argued on both sides. Not to mention that both are always big names in history, so its good to learn what the hell they did.

23

[quote]thunderbolt23 wrote:
And think about historical influences - surely you like a dead President or two. Ask yourself why you like them, then learn from what they said and had to offer.[/quote]

Good advice.

24

[quote]Lorisco wrote:
Understand that everything you hear and read is biased, whether they admit it or not. The major networks; CNN, CBS, ABC, FOX, etc all have political bias. Everyone has their own experiences and filters the news through those experiences.

So read and listen to a lot of information, but understand that it all has a slant, which means it is all not 100% true in the way it is being presented.
[/quote]

well stated…

25

alot of good ideas have been thrown your way so far…

I would like to add:

  1. take a class in critical analysis (sometimes titled critical thinking) at your local university or community college…I cannot recommend this highly enough…

  2. be a political skeptic…too often people are eager to accept what others tell to them…politicians and political analysts are notorious bull-shitters…

  3. write down your stance on an issue and defend you position against the strongest argument against it…

  4. learn how the political process works in the US in a general sense…you can get this info from a ‘for dummies’ type book…

  5. don’t just be skeptical of the politicians that you don’t agree with…be skeptical of the ones you agree with also…the ones you find yourself agreeing with are the ones that will really bite you in the ass when you’re not looking…

good luck!

26

Ah, a person with an open mind. Be vary careful of letting others fill in your beliefs for you. Being able to think for yourself is of paramount importance. Otherwise you end up being like the Billions of people who are nothing but willing brainwashed drones.

Some people choose their beliefs based on their political party, (i.e. Republican, Democrat, etc…) and this is a big mistake. Getting people together to create ideas is one thing, but group think where people are supposed to think a certain way is bad. There are free thinkers within the political parties, but too often people just follow the party line.

I am not saying don’t join a political party, just don’t let them think for you.

It is a good idea spending time by yourself and actually think about your core beliefs. The big important beliefs by which you gauge your other beliefs. If you know the big answers, the small ones come easy, or at least easier.

I do see people talking about getting your information from a variety of sources, and that is a good thing. But you need to know there is no such of a thing as unbiased information. Only people who fool themselves into thinking their information is unbiased.

Most people have a very limited, myopic view of the world. They look at how they believe something will affect them, and base their beliefs on that. This is a very shortsighted way to look at things. There is nothing wrong with taking yourself into account, but you need to take others into account also, and look at things as if you were not involved whatsoever, in other words from various points of view.

Now if you find you still do not have an opinion on an issue, remember you don’t need to have an opinion on every issue. There is nothing wrong with being undecided, or even believing something that is different then the two sides most people argue.

I have never been very fond of those get out the vote campaigns. I keep imagining people going into the voting booth, and not knowing what to do, so they are there flipping coins before voting.

Where we vote you can vote behind a curtain if you want the privacy, or just out in the open if you do not care. I always decide exactly how I am going to vote on everything before I go to the polls, but thought it would be fun to flip a coin before each vote. (Either that or a Magic 8 Ball.) Not use it to pick out what I will vote on, but I can imagine all the dirty looks everyone will give me.

27

Oh, and one more thing - go use the public library. Most cities have good if not fantastic public libraries with nothing but dust collecting on the books.

The public library is a tremendous resource for anyone and the cost is negligible.

28

Did someone say “lie-brerry”? And what the fuck are “boohks”? I can’t stand senior citizens with their ancient memories of how things were 500 years ago. Next thing you know, someone will mention a “Vee-See-Are” or a “wreck-chord-player”.

29

[quote]DPH wrote:
alot of good ideas have been thrown your way so far…

I would like to add:

  1. take a class in critical analysis (sometimes titled critical thinking) at your local university or community college…I cannot recommend this highly enough…
    ![/quote]

Excellent idea! There are many people who could not think their way out of a paper bag without having to ask how they should do it. In an effort to not hurt anyone’s feelings the PC police have made it a bad thing to think for yourself and come to your own conclusions.

30

[quote]grew7 wrote:
I’m uneducated about politics, and I have no idea how to educate myself. How did all of you do it? I’ve been reading the news for the past month and I’m slowly starting to agree/disagree with certain issues, but I still can’t help but feel a bit ignorant.[/quote]

Grew,

Not to disparage any of those who already gave their advice, but your question (if I understand you correctly) was how does one form opinions about political issues. Just reading the daily news and magazines really will not give you the answer.

My idea would be to read History – specifically American History. Any book by David McCullough is worth reading, as well as the Constiution itself and the Federalist Papers. This will give you a basis – from our founding documents – to what this nation was founded upon and therefore a basis to look at issues today.

Just an idea…

31

I’m currently taking a high-school world history course and will take an American history course next year, do those count?

32

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Did someone say “lie-brerry”? And what the fuck are “boohks”? I can’t stand senior citizens with their ancient memories of how things were 500 years ago. Next thing you know, someone will mention a “Vee-See-Are” or a “wreck-chord-player”. [/quote]

8-track.

33

First, understand that all politicians are lying sacks of shit who have no core values. The younger ones, the ones new to the game are more likely to retain some vestiges of humanity and actual compassion and for a term or two they might even give a shit about real people and real issues. Eventually they turn into campaign machines that only care about where the next check is comming from so they can pump enough money into their next election campaign to keep what limited power they have.

It doesn’t matter one whit if they’re republican or democrat, which ever party is currently in power the more corrupt of the two, not having any power tends to bring out the altruism in a party, just long enough to regain power and establish a slightly varied status quo.

The fringes, the extremist liberal whackos and the doctor killing, clinic bombing ‘christian’ right are equally stupid and equally misrepresentative of their respective sides of the aisle.

Personally, I’m a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. I’m all about small government and responsible, very limited use of power. Both parties like to accuse the other of infringing on personal freedoms, of invading your homes and they’re both right, but in different ways.

The best thing you can do is develope your own personal beliefs on issues, keep as open a mind as possible and formulate your own opinions, then consider, on an individual basis, who is saying what is closest to what you believe. I find that I tend to agree with some republicans, and some dems and more often than not I disagree with them both and end up with a mmore libertarian view of a subject.

34

[quote]Xvim wrote:
First, understand that all politicians are lying sacks of shit who have no core values. The younger ones, the ones new to the game are more likely to retain some vestiges of humanity and actual compassion and for a term or two they might even give a shit about real people and real issues. Eventually they turn into campaign machines that only care about where the next check is comming from so they can pump enough money into their next election campaign to keep what limited power they have.

It doesn’t matter one whit if they’re republican or democrat, which ever party is currently in power the more corrupt of the two, not having any power tends to bring out the altruism in a party, just long enough to regain power and establish a slightly varied status quo.

The fringes, the extremist liberal whackos and the doctor killing, clinic bombing ‘christian’ right are equally stupid and equally misrepresentative of their respective sides of the aisle.

Personally, I’m a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. I’m all about small government and responsible, very limited use of power. Both parties like to accuse the other of infringing on personal freedoms, of invading your homes and they’re both right, but in different ways.

The best thing you can do is develope your own personal beliefs on issues, keep as open a mind as possible and formulate your own opinions, then consider, on an individual basis, who is saying what is closest to what you believe. I find that I tend to agree with some republicans, and some dems and more often than not I disagree with them both and end up with a mmore libertarian view of a subject.[/quote]

well stated…

35

Actually, until about 2002 or 2003 I was a “RA RA RA let’s kill 'em all” conservative. I thought Clinton was a traitor, thought that Hillary was evil, and that Gore was just a loud-mouth piece of shit. Actually, those beliefs haven’t changed in the slightest. However, I thought Reagan was the greatest President in recent memory, Bush I was good but should have marched to Baghdad, and I voted for Bush II in 2000.
ALL of my political beliefs were turned upside down in 2002 and 2003, though. I was in the Marine Corps at that time and saw the run-up to the war from the inside. Everyday I saw my SecDef and Commander-in-Chief lying their asses off on national television. I had access to some pretty cool shit, and it didn’t jive with what our leaders were saying on TV. I think that we should have gone into Afghanistan and wiped that slate clean, but Iraq was simply a mistake. We knew where our resources needed to go, but our leaders sent them elsewhere.
So, it’s only in the last few years that I’ve turned to alternative media sources from around the world in order to get a better picture of what’s going on in the world. I’ve read about the true nature of the Iran/Contra affair, about Bush I’s history as Director of the CIA, and on and on. Needless to say, my views on these men have changed somewhat. I watch cable news, but I also take in a lot of other sources. I believe that you should read and listen to everything, check it with what you have seen and heard in your own life, and make your own decisions about what’s “truth” and what’s “bullshit.” The problem is that it takes a lot of time and energy, and you need to be prepared to have your worldview completely turned upside down once in a while. It’s painful, but the truth usually is.

36

[quote]Jeff_with_a_G wrote:
Actually, until about 2002 or 2003 I was a “RA RA RA let’s kill 'em all” conservative. I thought Clinton was a traitor, thought that Hillary was evil, and that Gore was just a loud-mouth piece of shit. Actually, those beliefs haven’t changed in the slightest. However, I thought Reagan was the greatest President in recent memory, Bush I was good but should have marched to Baghdad, and I voted for Bush II in 2000.
ALL of my political beliefs were turned upside down in 2002 and 2003, though. I was in the Marine Corps at that time and saw the run-up to the war from the inside. Everyday I saw my SecDef and Commander-in-Chief lying their asses off on national television. I had access to some pretty cool shit, and it didn’t jive with what our leaders were saying on TV. I think that we should have gone into Afghanistan and wiped that slate clean, but Iraq was simply a mistake. We knew where our resources needed to go, but our leaders sent them elsewhere.
So, it’s only in the last few years that I’ve turned to alternative media sources from around the world in order to get a better picture of what’s going on in the world. I’ve read about the true nature of the Iran/Contra affair, about Bush I’s history as Director of the CIA, and on and on. Needless to say, my views on these men have changed somewhat. I watch cable news, but I also take in a lot of other sources. I believe that you should read and listen to everything, check it with what you have seen and heard in your own life, and make your own decisions about what’s “truth” and what’s “bullshit.” The problem is that it takes a lot of time and energy, and you need to be prepared to have your worldview completely turned upside down once in a while. It’s painful, but the truth usually is.[/quote]

Someone took the red pill huh.

I would suggest a book called “Deadly Decieits: My 25 years in the CIA” by Ralph McGehee.

37

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
Jeff_with_a_G wrote:
Actually, until about 2002 or 2003 I was a “RA RA RA let’s kill 'em all” conservative. I thought Clinton was a traitor, thought that Hillary was evil, and that Gore was just a loud-mouth piece of shit. Actually, those beliefs haven’t changed in the slightest. However, I thought Reagan was the greatest President in recent memory, Bush I was good but should have marched to Baghdad, and I voted for Bush II in 2000.
ALL of my political beliefs were turned upside down in 2002 and 2003, though. I was in the Marine Corps at that time and saw the run-up to the war from the inside. Everyday I saw my SecDef and Commander-in-Chief lying their asses off on national television. I had access to some pretty cool shit, and it didn’t jive with what our leaders were saying on TV. I think that we should have gone into Afghanistan and wiped that slate clean, but Iraq was simply a mistake. We knew where our resources needed to go, but our leaders sent them elsewhere.
So, it’s only in the last few years that I’ve turned to alternative media sources from around the world in order to get a better picture of what’s going on in the world. I’ve read about the true nature of the Iran/Contra affair, about Bush I’s history as Director of the CIA, and on and on. Needless to say, my views on these men have changed somewhat. I watch cable news, but I also take in a lot of other sources. I believe that you should read and listen to everything, check it with what you have seen and heard in your own life, and make your own decisions about what’s “truth” and what’s “bullshit.” The problem is that it takes a lot of time and energy, and you need to be prepared to have your worldview completely turned upside down once in a while. It’s painful, but the truth usually is.

Someone took the red pill huh.

I would suggest a book called “Deadly Decieits: My 25 years in the CIA” by Ralph McGehee. [/quote]

Yeah, good way to put it. Needless to say, I’m not the same person I was 4 years ago, and it’s tough to deal with sometimes. However, I’m not the type of person to stick his head in the sand or put my fingers in my ears and yell “LA LA LA LA LA”. The “truth” might be a bitch, but I wanna know it.

38

Prior to just reading the news, it’s probably more important to develope your own critical thinking skills. Look at things in your own way and seek the truth. The news media has a nausiating habit of slanting or ommitting things in order to get you to think like them. Almost everybody has an agenda.

For instance, When you here statistics, flip them around to see the other side. Like if they say ‘40% of all fatal accidents were caused by impaired drivers’ they are also saying that 60% of accidents were caused by stone cold sober drivers.

Also they tend to use correlations as fact. Like ‘second hand smoke can increase your chance of getting lung cancer by 50%’. Well that may or may not be true, but there is absolutely no way to prove this. They are basing it on non-smoker who got lung cancer and were around second hand smoke. We don’t know how much or how long the exposure was and we don’t know that it had anything to do with thier lung cancer. My take is to never take anything at face value.

( NOTE: All statistics in this post were pulled out of my ass for the sake of explination. They are not statements of fact.)

39

[quote]orion wrote:
Milton Friedman “Capitalism and Freedom” and to balance it, the “Communist Manifesto” !

If you really want to learn about politics a basic understanding of economics is essential, but it could actually hurt you if you plan a career in politics in the future, lol…
[/quote]

I would disagree on the communist manifesto. It was ment to inspire people to action, not educate them. I would recommend instead Socialism: Past and Future by Michael Harrington.

40

I would say forming beliefs is a bad thing.

What you can have, and you may be lucky in this, is an ever evolving position based on what you read or discuss.

Beliefs are those things that are there for no particular reason, other than they have no reason used in their formation…they come form piers or parents.

Black and white…neo con and liberal, right and left. great ways to pigeon hole but its all grey, and as such, you are free to change your mind.

Humans seem to like this grouping thing. Call yourself a free thinker!